For the week of December 21st thru the 28th, be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:

Aries

It is not in your nature to stand back and let others take the lead. Even though that may seem what has been happening lately. But these times of retreat and pulling back are useful in their own way, as they allow you to conserve your energy for when you will need it later on. And you will after the New Year, when your ruling planet, Mars, enters Aries. In the mean time, this week helps to show you where you may need to strengthen yourself mentally, physically and psychically for whatever challenges you may need to face going forward. That’s what you need to be focusing on now. Recognizing that you might have some areas that need extra shoring up! There is nothing an Aries wants more than to be independent. So do whatever you can now to make that possible. Taking care of these details now will allow you to come out of the gate charging with the New Year.

Taurus

Love takes on all sorts of different guises and forms. This is why there are so many names for it in other languages. According to the ancient Greeks there were 8 different types of love. In English we just call it all Love. But there is that unconditional selfless Love, Agape, that seems to wend its way through the end of this weekend, that all Taureans can and should embrace. What makes your heart soar? What things do you love that are simply priceless and perhaps even wordless in our language? That’s what you are being asked to strive for. It lends meaning and depth and value to your life and to your relationships. When feelings, hearts and passions are intensified, then deeper bonds can be established with others as well. Venus is, after all, in transformative and passionate Scorpio, why not make the most of it while it is here? Dare to love deeply and love well.

Gemini

This week could feel as if it is filled with all sorts of busyness and to-do. This will probably work best if you are able to just go with the flow. This willingness to see where events will take you, could prove to be both enlightening and exhilarating, opening your eyes as well as your heart. But it could also feel hectic, especially if you were hoping to keep to some sort of schedule or plan. That doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. There is another side benefit here. In some way you are being asked to open up to some grander plan, and you might not even know exactly what that looks like yet. Being open to other perspectives could open up all sorts of possibilities going forward. It could also create more confusion, especially if there are just too many cooks in the kitchen. Take what is useful, and then leave the rest for consideration. In the mean time, enjoy! There is also merriment to be had this week. And the merrier the better.

Cancer

Not only is there a Solstice on the 21st but it is accompanied by a fabulous Full Moon in Cancer this year. Those Cancers born in the 1st few days of the sign, or who have the first 5 degrees of Cancer Rising will be the most sensitive, although all Cancers will resonate with the sentiment and emotional meaning of this Moon. There is this feeling of finally being able to leave some of the less desirable and even painful memories behind which then leaves room for the possibility of renewal, hope and anticipation of the future. All feelings are open for display with this Moon, where sentiment and tradition blend in meaningful ways. The Full Moon is shining a beacon light on those things that need to be cleansed and purified. Including old out-worn beliefs from the past that no longer serve you well. This leaves you open to the possibility of pursuing any new paths, that although untried, could stretch you in ways you had not considered before.

Leo

This is a celebratory week for many as we enter this sacred time of the Solar Year. It is a time of culmination and renewal as we slough off the old and outworn, and look forward to the possibility of the promise of renewal with the New Year to come. This includes purifying and cleaning out old wounds, which can almost be literal, in anticipation of changes to come. The Solstice marks the beginning of Capricorn season which brings a more subdued and serious outlook as we set to creating a plan of action going forward. Capricorn season is particularly good for commitments, resolutions and planning ahead, hence the tradition of New Year’s resolutions at this time. But it is also a time to reflect on what you have accomplished over the past year, what worked, and what did not, in order to better clarify more precisely what needs working on, going forward.

Virgo

If Virgo were to celebrate any day during this season of Light it might just be the Solstice when Mercury is in perfect alignment with magnificent Jupiter in forward looking Sagittarius. For on this day a larger Vision is trying to take root in order to grow later on. You do want to take care of these new seeds, even if it may mean having to make certain sacrifices going forward, and even if you are having to go on faith, not really knowing what the final outcome will be. It could all feel a little overwhelming at times. So, allow yourself to take some time out from extra busyness in order to connect with your plans for the future, without being influenced by other points of view. But once you are able to look at the big picture going forward, then you will be better equipped to fill in the details later. One of the advantages of being in Capricorn season, is the clarity it brings in order to create a plan going forward.

Libra

There is depth and meaning and value to Venus when it is in passionate Scorpio. When in Rome do as the Romans do, so when Venus is in Scorpio, indulge the heart as well as your deepest and truest desires. Scorpio can invest greater depth and closeness in relationships, and also show you what your true priorities are, when all is said and done. But perhaps the most important gift this week is recognizing that when you are willing to trust, and open your heart to others, you can heal over even the craggiest of rifts, transforming, and rebuilding better, more positive alliances with others. These sorts of alliances will carry you over even the most challenging of difficulties in your life, so they are well worth building. What you come to realize is that some experiences, some things, simply do not have a price tag, and are more valuable than even a wish granting jewel.

Scorpio

In order to love deeply, you first have to learn how to trust again. Venus is traveling in your sign this week in order to open up your heart to this vast possibility. The thing is with Scorpio is that you have depths that others cannot possibly imagine. There can be scary things in those depths, but there can also be amazing discoveries and wonders to behold of such vast beauty that they cannot even be described, it can only be experienced. Believing that is so, is the first step to healing, the first step to recovery, the first step to greater wholeness, because it lets you know that there is so much here to discover. Another step on the path to wholeness is acceptance, recognizing that no one or nothing is perfect, and that we are all struggling. This week some sort of catharsis can take place through your own willingness to be both vulnerable and courageous at the same time.

Sagittarius

A vision for the future is trying to make itself known this week, as Mercury and your ruling planet Jupiter, are pairing up in the eastern sky one hour before sunrise. This is a transit of hope and anticipation for better things to come. You may not be able to see how all this is going to be implemented going forward, but the seeds for the bigger picture are just being germinated with the Solstice and the coming New Year. It does indeed feel as if there is much to look forward to. In the mean time, it could feel as if there is a great deal going on: social events, communications, plans, festivities. It’s all that a merry Sagittarius can do to keep up with it all. Sometimes it is helpful at times like these, to just go with the flow, and see where it all takes you. You can clean up the mess later on.

Capricorn

In less than a day after the Solstice, we have a Full Moon. This is a rare and wonderful event that will make the transition into the next season feel all the more special. Those Capricorns born on the first few days of the sign, or have the first 5 degrees of Capricorn rising will feel this most strongly, though all Capricorns should take note of whatever is coming to light in the ambit of this Solstice Full Moon. The Solstice not only marks the changes in seasons, it is also a time for planning and commitment. As we reflect on the year that was, we stand at a precipice, finding ways to ever improve, and build on what we have already achieved. For the next few weeks, it may be helpful to consider what sorts of resolutions or plans you may have for the year ahead. These can be set with the Solar Eclipse on January 5th. In the mean time, the clarity of the Full Moon is giving you something of a head start.

Aquarius

The Solstice and the Full Moon which are back to back this year, can be met with a bit of anticipation. Full Moons are times of culmination and revelation. Our emotions and feelings often rise to the surface, and bring things out into the open that were previously hidden. All the more so with this Moon at such a sensitive corner of the Solar Year! It is not for nothing that this time of year is marked with festivities of light and celebration, both for the year that was, and for the year to come. It also has a deeper, more spiritual significance that resonates with cultures throughout the world, illuminating hearts and minds, bending towards those things that have deeper, more significant meaning in our lives. Sometimes just making enough space for these things can make all the difference, and help you to decide what sorts of changes you might want to make going forward.

Pisces

Anything still unresolved can be wrapped up this week, as Mars and Chiron converge in your sign. This is about taking the initiative, about being pro-active, and applying whatever remedies are necessary in order to heal any lingering wounds, problems, or weeping sore points. There may be some things over which you have no control. That’s where acceptance comes in. In which case being able to discriminate between those things over which you do have control, and those you don’t will be very helpful here, and serve as a guide going forward. Things could feel both festive and hectic at the same time this week. Allowing yourself to go with the flow will probably make things a little less challenging. There is also something quite awesome unfolding here, as we stand at the brink of a New Year, with new challenges, and new hopes and wishes. We may not be able to see everything clearly yet, but it does feel as if some grand vision is trying to take root, and even just connecting with that possibility is the first step on the journey.